Hopkins hosts the 2014 Student-Adult Diversity Leadership Conference

On Saturday, April 5th, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Hopkins School had the pleasure of hosting the 12th Annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference organized by the C.A.I.S. (Connecticut Association of Independent Schools) Commission on Diversity in Independent Schools. This year's conference, "Foresight is 20/20: 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights March on Washington,” featured keynote performer and speaker Ariel Luckey. As described on the conference program, Mr. Luckey is one of the most provocative thought leaders from the field of hip-hop oriented performance art; he led participants to unpack our thinking around race and immigration.

The conference included welcoming remarks from our Head of School Barbara Riley and the Commission leaders, musical performances, breakout sessions for all students and adults, and open-mic sharing. The adult session, hosted by guest speaker Dr. Gary Ford, featured the screening of the documentary “Justice is a Black Woman: The Life and Work of Constance Baker Motley,” which shares the life and work of the only woman attorney at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

As described on the C.A.I.S. website and program about this special conference: Founded in 2003 by the C.A.I.S. Commission on Diversity in Independent Schools, this conference was inspired by events in other regions and modeled after the national conference held annually by the National Association of Independent School. The mission of the event is to bring students from grades 7-12 and adults from independent schools across the state together for a day of networking and dialogue, facilitating cross-cultural understanding and a call to action to improve our school communities and our world.

Chris Cahill ‘14, Amalia Correia ‘14, and Tongil Ko ‘14 served as one of 33 students who the Commission chose and trained as student facilitators for the breakout sessions. In total, 37 people represented Hopkins at this conference: 9 seniors, 11 juniors, 6 sophomores, 5 freshmen, 6 faculty and staff members. The C.A.I.S. Commission on Diversity thanked our Director of Dining Services Mike King and Flik Dining Services for providing a beautiful continental breakfast and lunch; our Hopkins Team (maintenance, technology, security, communications, housekeeping) for making the event possible; and our Director of Diversity & Assistant Director of Admission Lisa Palmero McGrath who acted as the host-school coordinator and who serves on the Commission.